Shaky Beginnings
by enchanted-mind
Summary: Derek and Odette's wedding night was certainly not a fairytale for the young princess, despite marrying the man she loved with all her heart.
1. Part 1

**A/N: This whole story has been revised and edited. Nothing has really changed, apart from some of the grammar. Enjoy!**

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Uberta would be boasting for years, or so Derek had mumbled under his breath as he watched her enthusiastically dash to greet a new set of guests. In her defence, the wedding had been colossal and the gathering had been of such grand proportions that Uberta suddenly looked to be the wealthiest and most decadent Queen ever to roam the Earth. That fact made her giddy with power.

Odette couldn't help the fond smile gracing her cherubim lips as she watched her mother-in-law fuss. Giving the Queen reign over the evening was like giving a new toy to a slave child: satisfying and immensely appreciated. She knew that organising large events was one of the few things that gave Uberta joy. Since there would be no need for any more "puff puff" balls in Derek's honour, Odette had made it her business to involve Uberta in every detail of the wedding.

As Odette continued to search the room, running her gaze from her folded hands to the guests crowding the ballroom, she had to placate herself. It was hard to believe that every single person in the room was there purely to celebrate their matrimony. Surely, she believed, at least one person had to have darker alternatives in mind. Seeing as the festivity was in the Swan Lake castle, a place which Odette had seen only in its most sinister days, it was natural for her to have uneasy thoughts.

Not to misunderstand, the entire castle had been cleaned and polished from top to toe four times, as per Derek's orders. He'd also ensured that it would be so well lit for the evening that the castle could be seen from three kingdoms away. But, it wasn't its current appearance that caused an internal storm in Odette. Not at all. Despite the new, ornate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the pulled and dusted drapes, freshly rolled carpets, and the spotless windows, the castle was still eerie.

The building's significance was somewhat different to the Princess than to others.

To others, the castle was another dream piece of grand architecture added to Uberta's kingdom. To Odette, it was the place that she had been held captive for months by a twisted sorcerer.

And now she was celebrating her wedding in it.

Those thoughts made an unsettling sensation swirl below her lungs, causing her to hitch her inhale.

Derek heard the petite, strangled breath from beside him and reached over to secure her hand. He had silently assumed that Odette was, perhaps, still a little too fragile to tackle such an event, but he had never been able to confirm it thanks to her calm public facade. And with his mother doing all the organising, there was no point trying to discourage or delay anything related to the wedding.

His new wife smiled daintily in return to his comforting gesture, but Derek knew that he hadn't helped anything.

It was hard to convince Odette that she was now completely safe, that he would never let anything harm her again. He had verbalised it numerous times, but it only sometimes gave her the security that she desperately needed. He had no idea what else he could do and he was very quickly exhausting any advice from Rogers.

When it was announced that it was time for the newly wedded Prince and Princess' first dance, Derek noticed his bride's sudden rigidity.

Assuming the darkest of thoughts, Derek leaned over to whisper to her. "Odette, it's a dance in a room full of trusted people. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

But, it wasn't solely the dance that had Odette's mind frantically running through crazy ideas; it was the time of the evening that it marked.

That morning, when Odette had arrived in the south main bedroom to be dressed for the church ceremony, she had walked in to find the room occupied by Queen Uberta. She'd had her back to Odette, whimsically admiring the starched white dress hanging ready for the day. Her aged hand skimming over the fine embroidery of the bustier, Odette could faintly hear the Queen humming a soft, personal tune.

It was a strange atmosphere in the room, one not fit for a joyous wedding day. Odette had coughed gently into the silence, feeling awkward to just gawk in the doorway, and caught her soon-to-be mother-in-law's attention.

"Odette..." Uberta had greeted suddenly, flicking her gaze into the mirror to see the young Princess behind her. "Come. Let me take a closer look at you."

Odette's hands floated across the room and met the Queen's outstretched ones. Together, they turned in silence to face their reflections, and stared back in wonderment for very different reasons.

While Uberta saw the darling lady she had watched grow up and bewitch her son, Odette saw a terrified girl entering prematurely into womanhood.

"Today is your wedding day," Uberta had cried when she saw the frightened face. "Show a little cheer!"

Odette gave the little smile that the Queen sought, and then turned around so she did not have to look at herself trembling any longer.

"You look so much like your mother..." Uberta had said, taking hold of Odette's hands again. "She was so beautiful. But, you have your father's eyes..." Then she smiled ruefully at having spoken of the deceased - a topic not so often dwelled on at this stage of Odette's rehabilitation. "Oh, if he could just see you... He would be so proud – I'd have to have guards restraining him from coming in here right now. I can imagine it."

At the mention of her late father, Odette had to bite her lip. She yearned for his strong arms to cuddle her and his deep voice to recite a philosophical quote once more. It had been nearly two years since she last saw him, and for her to marry Derek was his last wish.

So she settled herself with the knowledge that she was fulfilling that wish.

"As a mother, it is my duty to share with you the sacred traditions of marriage..." Uberta began.

Odette stared back into the grey eyes of the woman she dared to call a mother figure, seeing untold stories and inner struggles stored deep set inside them. "I never spent enough time with Derek's father, and he was taken from us too quickly. Oh, how I loved him..."

"Uberta, I-"

She just shook her head, not allowing the memories at all disturb her. They were for educational purposes, after all. "Don't make the mistakes I did... Don't deny him or yourself. Love your husband, and take every opportunity to be with him. I see far too much of Leopold in Derek to ignore it... You must make sure he doesn't get carried away with his duties. It will be his end..." Her voice changed then, taking on a sterner tone, almost like royal to servant. "You must beguile him – it is your duty as a woman. Coax him away from war and suffering, heal wounds too deep to see... A new man will appear when you share a bed, one that you may not recognise at first-" Odette opened her mouth to respond, but Uberta cut her off with the slight raise of a hand. "But, you must learn the ways to please. It is essential. You, my dear, as his wife, have great power that no one else ever will."

And so now that the dance was to begin, Odette was one definite step closer to the womanly duties outlined early in the morning.

Her fingers tingled as they came into contact with Derek's outstretched hand. As she rose gracefully out of her seat, the crowd began to part from the dance floor and applaud the traditional ritual. He led her unhurriedly down the few steps, careful not to scare or harm her in any way with his eagerness. Derek was always gentle with her, Odette knew, and it was something she appreciated enormously. Together, they walked out onto the cleared floor.

When positioned in the centre of the room, Derek and Odette manoeuvred their hands and faces to suit a comfortable, and socially appropriate, stance. On the small of her back, his hand lingered, pressing promisingly into her body underneath all the garments. Her hand went to his shoulder, and with a tentative step, their bodies pressed up against one another.

Over Derek's shoulder, Odette could just see Rogers instructing the orchestra to begin. With the flick of his wrist, the first glorious note resonated harmoniously around the room.

As if on cue, Derek took a step back, guiding Odette safely with him.

They moved gently to the music, a magnificent piece that Rogers had composed himself and fittingly entitled 'Far Longer than Forever'. It was both the Prince and Princess' favourite piece.

The audience surrounding watched on, almost in awe, as the newlyweds swirled about the floor.

Odette had never been this close to Derek before. Sure, she knew exactly what it was like to kiss him, or to be encircled by his protective arms, but she had never been so vulnerable with him. Never had she had so many body parts pressed up against him at a time. She understood well that that was because it hadn't been acceptable for an un-married couple to be so intimate, but now the rules had changed. She had never had that social barrier removed before.

Derek felt it too. Staring down at her, he saw a new world opened up to him, one filled with multiple dimensions, richer colours, and sweeter desires. He saw the woman he had grown up with and played cards against, a woman who knew his every mood by just looking at his face. He saw hope.

But, it was a fire that Odette saw in his eyes, one that she was ashamed to say she understood. His chest, for instance, was matched with hers. No longer did they have contours to shape and separate them; her breasts and his pectorals were one mass. The thought made her stomach, also pressed up against his, start to burn. Her fingers suddenly curled around the cape on his shoulders, trying to extinguish the swirling inside her by bringing him closer.

Derek snaked his hand further around her waist, holding her securely to him. He could feel the tiniest bit of warmth against his neck from Odette's exhales, and the mere concept of having her close enough for that led him to the bottomless ache he felt deep in his stomach. He needed Odette, mind, body, and soul. He wanted to make her his, to let no man be mistaken that they were each other's half. But, he was going to have to wait.

A brush of skin against skin, a sensual slip of the fingers, the sliding of one thigh against another... The two carried on, oblivious to any onlookers but aware of how dangerously close in proximity they were now allowed to be.

The tiniest touch of pink found its way to Odette's cheeks as they twirled about, and Derek found it strangely alluring. He pulled her hips a fraction closer to his.

When the music ceased, and the crowd stirred with cheers and applause, Derek took a look down at his new bride. Wanting to whisk her away and begin his night of satisfying desire, he had to pause with his lips hovering above hers to ensure he did not devour every inch of her. Odette's satiny lips brushed up against his when she breathed in. He was so close, he could almost taste her...

He, instead, placed a lingering kiss on her temple.

With such a small offering, Odette abruptly became aware that they were standing like targets in the middle of the room. She gripped on to Derek's sleeve with all her might as they turned to acknowledge the presence of their guests.

The two sported matching polite smiles as they bowed to their audience. They were met with a mighty cheer of approval, one of next-to-no loudness in comparison to her heartbeat.

Odette did not know all the people in the room, and some she only knew by name, but she found herself trying to place a personality to each and every face. Soft cheekbones said they were friends, hollow cheeks and they were suddenly Rothbart's followers. Looking around the room, discreetly over her shoulders frantically, Odette was counting far too many suspicious guests. _Twelve, thirteen, fourteen..._ She began to feel faint.

And then everyone began closing in on her.

They may have looked like they were joining in partners to accompany her and Derek in a dance, but she saw otherwise. She saw an old world surfacing.

**A/N: So, what did you think? Yes, there is more to come... The wedding night has barely begun! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Part 2

Odette toyed with the new lustrous gold band around her finger, catching the light from the sky above every now and again. The moon was particularly large for their wedding night, Derek had mused earlier in the evening, to compensate for being absent the night it was needed most. Odette remembered how she used to look up at the moon as a child and decipher faces from it. Some nights it was happy, some nights it was sad, and some nights it laughed.

Tonight, though, it seemed it was weeping, coating everything in an ethereal silver grey to match.

The air, though not unseasonably warm, was not cool enough to revive the young Princess. She had hoped that abandoning the indoor festivities may have helped, but her thoughts could not be filtered or inhibited.

A small rustle of leaves beside her nearly made Odette jump. Her hands had an iron clasp around the other until she saw two very familiar faces emerge. "I am ready for my kiss, mademoiselle..." Jean-Bob called, perched on top of Speed's shell.

Speed just rolled his eyes at the request and continued to draw closer at his own relaxed pace.

Odette smiled to herself, unsure of what to make of the situation. Surely he couldn't believe that a kiss from her would turn him 'back' into a prince. But, when she saw no falter in Jean-Bob's insistence, she decided that she may have to soften the blow and prepare him for the worst. "Now, don't be too disappointed, Jean-Bob, if nothing happens..." she said warily.

He paid no notice to her cautiousness, naturally. "Finally, after all these years, I shall return to my throne."

"Don't forget to write," Speed smiled sarcastically, ignoring the stomp on his shell Jean-Bob administered with a tiny green foot.

"You still don't believe me, do you?"

"The only thing you are going to turn is red," Speed quipped, turning his head around to look at his friend.

Jean-Bob shook it off with a wave of his hand. "Pah," he dismissed, gesturing it time with his hand to Odette.

She just held back her wince, not wishing to cause further discontent during the night, and bent down graciously to receive the so called Prince.

"Well... I am ready, Odette."

Gingerly, she placed a soft kiss on his cheek, and drew back to gauge his reaction, hoping that it was not sheer disillusionment or humiliation. To her surprise, Jean was not at all perturbed by the failure of change. Not even a little bit. With a large leap from her open hand, Jean-Bob landed on the pavement in front of the Princess and the turtle, arms opened wide as if to present his new self.

"Voila! Well, Speed? What do you have to say now?" he said smugly.

"Uhh...?"

"That's what I thought," Jean said, walking over to check his reflection in the fountain. "Now if you don't mind, I have some schmoozing to do..."

As luck would have it, another human Prince happened to be doing the same thing when Jean-Bob came over. Being as vertically challenged as he was, he did not see his own reflection at all, but the one of the mystery man behind him.

With the swirl of his cape, satisfied with his appearance, Jean-Bob headed off inside to see what lovely women he could surround himself with for the night.

Odette could only smile at the tiny retreating figure, and turned to peer down at the last remaining hero that she had not properly thanked for her rescue and company over the year.

"Would you like a kiss too, Speed?" she offered politely, more than willing to oblige should the answer have been an affirmative.

He laughed lightly, shaking his head. "Nah, I'm happy as a turtle..."

At the quiet refusal, Odette felt her smile grow affectionately. Speed had often been the voice of reason while she was held captive by Rothbart, listening to her weep over the life she had stolen prematurely and comforting her in desperate times. He had never complained or asked for anything in return.

They had all been so wonderful to her, the most loyal of friends imaginable... the thought of never having met them brought a tear to her eye.

She bent down slightly so as to place her hand on the back of Speed's neck gently. "Thank you for everything," she said in the sincerest of tones. "I would have been lost if it wasn't for you three..."

Speed offered a coy smile, shrinking back slightly from such openness of gratitude. The two would have shared a familiar friendly silence had Prince Derek not been waiting on the outskirts to hedge his way in. He, too, had escaped the festivities and was anxious to find his missing other half. Careful not to interrupt any sort of moment she wished to have alone, he judged it safe to advance only from Speed's gentle nod of the head.

She saw his approaching shadow after Speed had, and couldn't help her heart's instantaneous reaction to thrash against her ribs uncontrollably. Automatically too tired to respond, the young Princess could not even whip her head around to ensure that it was not any sort of threat. A splash of panic began to creep into her laboured breathing, a faint flush on her cheeks. Would she be whisked away into the night again, her screams unheard in her isolation?

A snap of twig, the bush of grass, the crunch of a leaf... every sound resonated in her ears, every breath amplified by her heartbeat. She began to feel dizzy.

Gently, a hand traced the curve of her shoulder, seeming to melt her troubles away. She didn't need to look to know who it was - she would have been able to single out his warmth from a crowd of thousands. She lifted her own hand to settle on top of his, lacing her fingers in-between his reassuringly.

Derek smiled in return, bending over the back of the bench she sat on to place a kiss on her cheek.

"Come with me..." he whispered, tugging slightly on her hand.

She breathed in a generous portion of air and looked down to find that Speed had already made himself scarce into the night.

Together, they strolled away from the glowing windows of the palace, immersing themselves in their own private world.

Derek and Odette stopped when they were nearly a quarter of the way around the lake. It was enough to be hidden from view but close enough that they would know what was happening with just a glance.

From where they stood, the moonlight over the rippling water of Swan Lake did nothing to conceal the true darkness of what lay deep below. Odette couldn't help the thought. The spot where they stood was directly opposite where Rothbart had, one night, not taken her marriage refusal well and had turned rather forceful on her. She could remember, perfectly, the rough tree bark against the back of her neck and hands as Rothbart had pushed himself closer and closer. His hands were stone vices against her thrashing, and it seemed that the more she moved, the closer he got to her. He was so close physically she could taste his breath on her lips, and the skin on her neck had even raised goose bumps in protest. She'd tried screaming, she'd tried begging, but nothing had stopped him from trying to fulfil his desires.

Odette had to run a sharp nail down the side of her neck discreetly to remind herself that Rothbart was dead forevermore, and that Derek would never put her in such a horrible situation. It stung, but it kept her in the real world.

It just didn't change the fact that his rotted corpse lay somewhere between here and there.

"Odette," Derek soothed, running a hand over the back of hers. "You're trembling... What's wrong?"

She dropped the hand at her neck quickly, and smiled tightly at him. "Nothing. Nothing at all..."

"As long as I've known you, you've never been the one to tremble..."

Odette took in a breath and turned her stare back out to the lake. She couldn't tell Derek about that night, the night that she had nearly been left broken and tortured. He would blame himself, and would then bear the burden that she did. No. She would not inflict that on her husband.

"Derek!" Queen Uberta called from inside the castle, her voice faint over the distance and the murmur of guests inside. "Odette!"

Derek looked from the castle behind them to Odette, the old mischievous gleam in his eyes catching the light from the moon.

"Run!" he cried, already heading further away from the castle.

He took hold of Odette's hand, not wanting to leave her behind at all, and hurried off into the trees. They darted in and out of the darkness together, weaving in between trees and large shrubs to make their trail more confusing for any possible followers.

It turned out to be a positive to the night; the childish notion of running away from a calling parent was enough to distract Odette and cause a genuine giggle to escape her lips. Derek couldn't stop himself from, too, catching her laughter and letting his lungs hurl out a complimentary sound.

After a while, they came across a large tree, one that was wide enough to conceal them from view. So they snuck over to it, wanting to have their own secluded place for the momentous evening.

Though they were almost undoubtedly alone, Odette was not frightened. Nestled with her back against the abrasive bark of the trunk, she didn't find herself reminiscing or scared half to death. Not at all. Instead, she saw her brave knight in shining armour shielding her from the mysterious world around, asking to just be allowed a token of her appreciation.

Tenderly, his hand pushed away a stray strand of hair from her eyes and he laid a small kiss on her forehead.

He wanted to unleash his swelling affections for her, but knew that he would be more than satisfied later on tonight. So, he held back his lust again out of respect for the woman encased in his arms. As he stared back at her, he became more and more lost in her serene blue eyes, seeing stories of their past together and images of what would come for them.

Odette misinterpreted his fascination with her as lust, however, and felt her obligations as a new bride poking through. So she used the basics of her womanly wiles to hold up her end of the deal, and gently traced the side of his face with a finger. She left it strategically against the side of his mouth.

It worked as she had been told it would; the Prince seized her hand in his, kissed her knuckles one by one, and then leaned in to steal a generous kiss for the evening.

A caress on the neck, a tug of the lips, fingers running through hair... their moments together had no time frame, split seconds just melted into the next until everything became a blur.

Then came the snap of a twig, close in the darkness. The pair separated, Derek listening intently for any further clues. He heard nothing more, but silently decided that they should move on just in case he had missed something.

So they ran off, further around the lake, hearing Rogers' faint cry begging them to stop. They were young, healthy, and carefree, and so outran him with little effort.

The idea of running away from Rogers made the childish giggles escape Odette's lips again, and Derek couldn't help his accompanying ones. She followed him without question, and he guided her towards the bridge on top of the waterfall that overlooked the castle in its grand entirety.

Odette was yet to have crossed the bridge, but she scarcely noticed when she was with Derek, laughing her fears away. She wondered what her world would have been like had she not found Derek that evening and proved she was still alive. Would he have given up hope forever that time? Would he have found another Princess to marry at the ball that night? Would she have outlived Rothbart, set herself free, and returned to find so?

As Derek drew to a halt, pulling her closer and closer to his warmth, she stopped and listened to the whooshing of water below them. How easily, she mused, could a life could be swept away into oblivion? "Will you love me, Derek, until the day I die?" she asked nervously, putting a smile on only for show.

"No," he replied, smitten by her beauty in the dim light, "much longer than that, Odette. Much longer..." He leaned in to kiss her, touching her skin fondly and encircling her in his protective arms.

In that moment, Odette felt no fear; no fear of her past or her near future. She felt happy and weightless while held reassuringly by the man she had loved for so long. She couldn't even draw a comparison to her joy from all her years travelling the world.

But, then a voice interrupted them. "Ahem..."

The couple instantly separated, startled by the harsh disruption of their silence, and whipped their heads around to see who had found them. Who they discovered did not really surprise them.

"You are needed inside for the cake cutting."

"Rogers..." Derek began to whine.

"Your mother's command," Rogers replied nonchalantly, crossing his arms defiantly, "and, frankly, she scares me more than you do. Let's go."

Derek smiled apologetically at Odette, encircled his arm around her waist, and then followed Rogers with her back in the direction of the lively castle.

As tame as the hold he had on her waist was, she still knew it had to be done: she would lie with Derek tonight. He deserved as much.


	3. Part 3

Each breath acted as a time keeper, letting Odette know she was one second closer to the sealing of matrimony. She would have suppressed the thought, or even scolded it, had it not been the dominating voice of reality in her mind.

So even while she stood in front of the crowd, both hands on a knife with Derek's, concealed and protected by his arms, she could not focus on many positive things. She couldn't see the genuine smiles on their guests' faces, the coming together for a happy event, or even the beautiful white gown that would be the envy of many brides-to-be. All she could see was the passing of time and an evening that she was not ready to endure...

A mighty cheer swirled up to the ceiling as the knife sliced the delicate white icing of the cake. The vibrations from it seemed to resonate in Odette's head, making her feel light-headed and momentarily disoriented. If Derek's arms had not been supporting her, she most likely would have fallen. The fact did not go unnoticed by him, either; he peered down at her curiously and then gently squeezed her hand in reassurance after seeing a slight sway.

The pair gave the customary grin to their surrounding audience, fractionally shrugging away from the attention they had for the evening.

It wouldn't be long now, Odette kept telling herself, scaring her heart into a thrashing beat. She didn't know why she felt the need to shy away from her duties as a wife, especially since she did not have any personal references to go by, but she did. She was not worried about what would happen to her, since Derek was not willing to even let her out of his grasp let alone hurt her in any unnecessary way; she was not concerned about _who_ she was going to be so intimate with, since Derek was the person she would have picked if given the choice; and she was not shying away from marriage itself. It was her vulnerability in being alone in the dark, unable to see, with another body.

If she was honest, though, that wasn't the only item worrying her.

The fact that she had not had an older sister or a mother to mentor her meant she was going into the night blind and uneducated. How would she know what to do? Are there things you're not supposed to do? How do you make the night as painless as possible?

She would have only a brief time with Uberta as she dressed for bed, and was unsure if she would say anything without prompt.

Odette didn't want to disappoint anyone but she should not inquire about such things.

Together, she and Derek began to make the formal turn about the room. Hand in hand, step-by-step, they walked to the first corner of the floor. He bowed, she curtseyed, and then their guests returned the acknowledgement.

Derek could feel the slight trembles down Odette's arm, and quickly decided upon two plausible reasons for them: she was scared about the room full of people, or she was scared about the night to come.

He couldn't help the pang of guilt shoot down to his stomach, knowing that he would become the cause of the latter. He wished he could make it better, find a compromise that would please the kingdom and his love, but nothing came to mind.

As well as he understood how Odette may be affected by the revelries, he could not do anything to unmake her the object of his affection. He could scarcely take his eyes off of her. She was divine, a goddess of a higher world. The pale flush on her cheek, the flecks of grey in her eyes... there was no way to encapsulate her beauty other than in her physical self.

She set alight fields of burning desire within him; from his fingers to his toes shot a hot, tingling wave anticipating a night of fulfilment.

They came to the next corner of the floor, bowed, awaited the polite response, and then turned to the next group.

Despite the clash of thoughts and emotions, Odette and Derek could not hide their undying infatuation with one another. Their connection was almost tangible. It was enough to make the older, wiser guests grin with pride in the new future King and Queen.

Another bow and a curtsey, and they glided off together, hearing nothing but praise and best wishes from the people they passed.

As much as Odette was terrified, she could not help feeling a tiny twinge of thrill. She wanted to make that sensation the most potent spark inside of her, but she just couldn't. Every smile she passed seemed to just morph into an evil leer, knowing what mysteries lay in the night before her. They were what kept her fear firmly in place.

Derek's hand moved then, brushing his fingers ever so slightly against hers. Odette peered at their outstretched hands. Her delicate, pale one was on top of his strong, tanned one as if to tame it. It would have been comical had his hand not brushed up against hers again as they took another step together. Instead it became a sort of innuendo, one which Odette had always been taught was a sin to conjure as a woman. But, that's what helped to quell the negative feelings that continually crashed up against her insides, so she let the thought develop.

They finally came to the last corner of the floor, acknowledged their guests, and waited for the general response with their heads bowed. After a round of applause meant to show utter acceptance of the future king and queen, Odette and Derek turned around to face the rest of the room. Another grand cheer rose up as they made their final bow for the evening.

Uberta signalled for the trumpets to announce their leaving. In perfect unison, the horns hurled out their tell tale sound and so ended, officially, the evening and began the night. While the guests would be left to enjoy the festivities and the company, the young couple were being sent to celebrate their marriage in a private, more intimate manner.

The crowd parted politely to line the path to the promising doors. Derek and Odette turned, arms entwined like their hearts, and followed a very pleased Uberta and Rogers out. Bromley and Bridget tagged along behind them.

It had taken so many tears and nights of hopelessness to finally get to this evening, and Derek couldn't help but notice the wonderful sense of happiness it gave him to see that he had been right all along. The ceremony, the party, the dancing... it had all been tolerable, when he mustered enough to think about it, but nothing would have been able to distract him from the fulfilment Odette provided as she held onto his arm delicately.

And, today, she had seemed even more of a physical incarnation of a goddess than usual. Derek was too innocent to know why, but he would come to understand by tomorrow morning.

At the doors of what would be _their_ bedroom, the party stopped and turned to face each other, almost as if in a duel. Odette curtseyed to Derek, and he bowed appropriately in return, fighting the urge to just pull her into the room with him and forget propriety for the night.

Odette smiled timidly at her new husband as Uberta put her arm around her shoulders to usher her away. She then led Odette off down the hall, leaving the men to prepare for her arrival.

Together, they turned to face the doors, which Bromley only opened when Rogers snapped at him to do so.

The room was dark, but did not have the damp atmosphere Derek was half expecting. No doubt it would have been mother who ordered the room be aired and clean thoroughly throughout the day.

He shivered at the knowledge that it wouldn't be long before he and Odette would be left alone within these very four walls, exploring, together, a world between the sheets that they had been denied access to until now.

Suddenly the room gained a soft gold glow, and Bromley began removing Derek's cape as he was instructed to do earlier in the day.

"Now Derek," Rogers began, inspecting the torch he had just lit. "As your counsellor, it is my duty to guide you in the right direction when it comes to marital affairs."

Bromley sniggered behind Derek, removing his vest. "_Old Man_ is going to tell you how it works... A little ironic, don't you think?"

Rogers chose to ignore the immature boy he liked to call a braggart, and started pacing back and forth across the length of the room. "A man and a woman fit together like a lock and key-"

Bromley stifled his laugh too late.

"Rogers, please," Derek cried, nudging his chuckling friend with his elbow. "I have been friends with Bromley long enough to know how it works."

Rogers turned a quizzical brow to Bromley, who, in turn, smiled sheepishly.

"Then perhaps _mister chivalrous_ should do the talking for the evening," Rogers quipped, folding his arms defiantly.

Derek had to suppress a groan; the two could not get through one night without bickering or humiliating one another.

"I don't see why not," Bromley offered, shrugging.

"We don't want to corrupt the kingdom with an unhappy marriage, that's why," Rogers replied. "Derek, this is important."

"And I said that I already know everything... maybe even more than you want me to, judging by your reaction," the Prince replied, slipping the nightshirt over his head. "You know I appreciate it, Rogers. But, it's unnecessary."

"Then perhaps some more... _fatherly_... advice, then, since you've already been tainted by _him_-" he jerked his head in the direction of Bromley. With his fingers raised in a steeple, he took in a breath. All he could do to stop the images of young, innocent Odette and her proud father appearing was to honour William's wish to have his daughter cared for. "Just remember, she's been taught to react the way she does. It's not necessarily indicative..."

It was true. Odette was being reminded of it at that very moment.

The duty of being a woman, society called it.

She was reminded of the obligations after the details of the pain involved were shared. Intercourse would not be similar to the literary masterpieces for a while, in which time a young woman could do nothing but wait and learn.

The information, though relevant, had not been of particular help. In fact, it took every ounce of courage Odette had to ensure that she did not bolt out of the room and hide in the castle for years to come.

If she was a nervous wreck at her age, she wondered what she would have been like if she had married Derek at eighteen when he first proposed. Would she have been inconsolable, or would child-like ignorance have served her well?

The question swirled around in her head until reality forced its way in. Every gentle pull on the laces of her corset felt as if it were a hook stuck in the skin of her back. Her acute alertness was a reaction she had trouble quelling once it was initiated. It had been a necessary instinct when she was sleeping in a forest with Rothbart mere steps away, and now it was second nature. She often found herself able to count the tiny holes in mortar, or see brush strokes in paintings, when she felt the slightest bit threatened.

Quickly, and skilfully, however, Uberta had the corset completely unlaced and peeled it away from the princess' body. Odette took in a deep breath, feeling a strange cool edge in the air settle in pinpricks down her throat.

Odette turned around to face her new mother, and noted, as she peered over her shoulder, that each thread on the rug stood out in sharp relief.

She knew that she had to suppress her anxiety in order to be a sufficient wife for the night, and the pressure she put herself under made her throat swell up further.

"Calm yourself," Uberta said fondly, placing a hand on Odette's cheek as she noticed the small trembles along her shoulders. "I have raised you a good, kind husband."

"I know..." Odette replied in whisper, looking down at the floor.

Uberta smiled sympathetically at the young woman, understanding the unspoken worries in the crease of her brow.

"The first night is always the hardest, my dear," she offered, taking Odette's hand, "But, it's not the worst thing that could happen to you..."

Bridget began unbuttoning the petticoat and Uberta picked up the nightgown from the bed.

"One day, you will look back, and you will wonder how on Earth you ever felt this way..." the Queen said, pulling the nightgown over Odette's head. "The fear won't last."

Odette found a tiny slither of peace in her conviction, and took in another more relaxed breath to slow down her racing heart. She would survive the night and eventually learn to be skilled enough for Derek, her saviour.

"Come now," Uberta beckoned gently, linking her arm with her daughter, "you mustn't keep him waiting."

Together, though the steps felt like she was poised on knife blades, they left the room in silence, choosing to leave their one light source behind.

They came to a stop, outside the bedroom, too quickly for Odette's liking. Despite the walk closer to the room being mentally excruciating, she preferred it to her 'womanly duties'.

Bridget moved to stand by the door and placed a hand on the latch, waiting for the nod of approval.

Odette stopped her breathing short, a shrill squeak coming from her attempts. Uberta heard the subtly cry for help and could only give her arm an encouraging squeeze. Odette turned to her and received a motherly kiss on the cheek, one meant to say that the night was inescapable. When Odette mustered enough coherent thought to smile in return, Uberta nodded subtly to Bridget and let go of her arm.

From there on, Odette would have to run on instinct.

Derek heard the door crack open from out on the balcony, and so he peered back into the room to see if she had finally arrived. He saw what he wanted to and couldn't help but smile at how coyly his soft, young bride walked into the room. It was as if they were strangers.

Odette opened her eyes once she heard the doors seal shut behind her. It took her eyes a few moments to adjust to the dim lighting, but she could see Derek out on the balcony, his lean body and sun kissed skin coated silver by the moonlight. It took her a moment longer to realise that he had been watching her the entire time.

A gentle breeze made the gossamer curtains billow into the room. It was an enchanting scene, Odette tried to see, but she found herself slightly distracted.

Never before had she seen Derek in the state of undress that he was, and never had she been alone with him unaccompanied.

Derek, turned completely then, and followed the breeze back into the room. He saw a withdrawn look on her face and so Rogers' words rang in his head.

"Odette, please don't fear me," he whispered vulnerably, standing a few steps apart from her. Judging it safe by the hint of life that appeared back in her eyes, he closed the distance between them and gently concealed her within his arms. "I couldn't bear it if you did."

With a soft kiss to her forehead, she peered up at him tentatively. "I could never fear you, Derek."

It was hard to think of Derek without thinking that his needs were like any other man's.

"Perhaps, then, you should just sleep tonight," he suggested delicately, fondly running the back of his hand down her cheek. "I can wait-"

"You don't have to," she said, placing a finger to his lips. He waited to hear the reasoning, but she simply took a portion of a step back from him and brought her hands up to the laces on her nightgown.

Derek knew what she was doing, and put his hands on hers to stop her. He would not refuse if this was what she wanted. "Why hurry?" he asked, lowering his lips to hers. "We have all night."

Suddenly their bodies moulded into one. No longer was there a contour to separate them, and no longer did thick fabric and petticoats conceal the shapes and crevices of their skin. Her hands wound around his neck, and his held firmly to her lower back. Their lips pulled and pushed, crashing down on one another like the waves against a ship, conveying all the hope and pleasure to come in the future. Tenderly, he held onto her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

Then they stood motionless against one another, their breathing already showing signs of labour. Derek brought one hand up the length of her torso to her face. Edging in closer, only just able to see a blue spark in her eyes, he put his thumb across her lips. She gripped onto his sleeve with one hand and the other clawed at the shirt on his shoulders.

With a very delicate touch, he swiped his lips on Odette's then pulled back. She gripped tighter. He withdrew his lips a fraction, but then Odette closed the agonizing gap after a few moments. She followed his leading movements expertly, letting go as he did to sigh against his hand inching over her hips.

Odette took hold of the edge of Derek's shirt and, together, they removed it. He moved in and placed soft, slow trails of kisses along her jaw, then moved up her cheek to her mouth.

He felt her lips pushing on his, urging him to fight back. But he wouldn't, in fear of her stopping what she was doing.

So he let his hands trace the outline of her figure instead, until he stopped at her chest.

Odette's mind started racing. Never had any sensation come close to how she felt now, lost in a scorching world of intense love.

One by one, his fingers pushed into her soft flesh, gently, but still with confidence. Odette stopped kissing Derek's neck and whimpered his name, unable to do anything else.

Encouraged, his hands began to work in a rhythm, discovering how supple a woman's body could be with pure desire. In response, she laced her fingers through his hair and tilted her head back, exposing more of her throat.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he dragged his lips down her neck. She moaned, he moaned. So he moved further down to the edge of her plunging neckline.

Odette could feel his tell tale sign that desire had won him over, and it oddly didn't scare her too much.

But, when she felt his hands pulling on the laces of the nightgown, she felt her throat constrict and had to gasp to inhale.

The fabric fell from her body, sliding over the skin, and pooled at her ankles in a symbol of lost purity.

Now she had nothing to hide from him. Unable to discern his expression, either shock or disgust she was sure, Odette was surprised when he just pulled her back into his arms and let his hands wander over her curves.

A nip on her skin, a caress on the back of the neck, it all would have been wonderful if Odette hadn't noticed that they were in the dark.

"Perhaps the bed would be better," Derek suggested, breathing against her neck. He sounded so different... so _masculine_.

Odette moved out of his arms and went to lie down on the bed as she had been asked to. Derek followed her, but stood in awe at the foot of it, seeing how the moonlight from outside made her glow like an angel. Her face had soft lines, her breasts stood up firmly, her stomach appeared smooth and flawless...

He got on the bed, after removing his remaining garments, and gingerly ran a hand between her breasts and down her stomach.

He could see the contained fear in her features, again, and knew that there was little he could do to help that.

Odette had to force her legs from snapping together as she felt Derek's hand skimming down her thigh. She had to grip the bed sheets to stop the petrified scream from her lips.

It would be better when she learned that it was Derek holding her body so close and not Rothbart.

* * *

**A/N: And there you have it. That's then end of my little exploration of Derek and Odette's wedding. Hope you liked it!**


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